


Winter's Fury

by 22AnnabethVolturi22



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Arranged Marriage, BAMF older sister, Conspiracy, Deceit, F/M, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Frigga Feels, Infant Death (assumed), Loki Does What He Wants, Loki Needs a Hug, Loki is Not a Jotun, Loki's Kids, Loki's Lips Sewn Shut, Oblivious Thor, Odin's A+ Parenting, Tesseract, Thor Does What He Wants, Thor Feels, Uncle Thor, Winter Goddess, past bullying, slight and major bashing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-08-09 11:45:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7800571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/22AnnabethVolturi22/pseuds/22AnnabethVolturi22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Odin had another child before Thor? One he groomed to be the perfect heir to the throne, and arranged a marriage that resulted in death? Aneira Odinsdottir left Asgard during the first war, with no plans to return until that one fateful trip to Jotunheim when Thor Odinson attacked. Thor is banished and Aneira takes over Asgard, but what does she have in store for the golden realm? Especially when they find out Lok is her son?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Flashback, some centuries beforehand:

It was a beautiful day of happiness, that's what everyone believed. The sun shined brightly over the golden city of Asgard, and the citizens were out and about preparing for a wondrous celebration about to occur. Flags of the royal family were hanging everywhere, along with streams of flowers, ribbons, and happiness all around as the city readied for the final preparations.

A marriage ceremony was to happen very soon, once the sun shined brightly over the golden tower of the palace the event would take place. Their king's daughter, firstborn and heir to the throne, Princess Aneira was to be wed to a prince from a foreign realm to seal an alliance. The realm itself was not all powerful, but with the might of Asgard behind it there would be forces that none could break. 

The princess wasn't too keen on the marriage at first, but she understood her duty as heir to the throne. She did everything her father asked of her, and she knew that as royalty it was in her duty to do what's best for the kingdom. Aneira was beloved by all of Asgard, her beauty glowed bright like the sun and all men who laid eyes on her were smitten. Her hair was gold like Asgard's sun, her skin was tanned beautifully though not dark, and her eyes, her beautiful green eyes glistened like emeralds whenever she smiled. Aneira had the beauty of the late queen Gaia, Odin Allfather's first wife, who died soon after giving birth to their daughter. 

Odin wasn't one for showing much affection, but he gave his daughter everything a princess could ask for and she took it gracefully and thankfully. She was the ideal princess, loyal, strong, intelligent, beautiful, fair, kind, everything a royal heir should be. He'd trained her well for the role of future queen, and it made him proud knowing how much Gaia would've loved her. His second wife Frigga, who was swollen with child, had been a good mother to her, but there was always a little distance between the two women. 

"My daughter, today you shall be wed and you shall be happy." Odin Borson entered his daughter's rooms, she had just finished dressing with Frigga and she was adorned in white with golden jewelry, a true beauty indeed. Her long golden hair was tied up in a bun of curls with one long curl down her back. She had a veil and a crown, though it only made her hair shine more. Her dress was made from the finest material in Asgard, made especially for this big day.

"Yes father." they needed to get to their places, Aneira was as nervous as any bride-to-be and part of her wanted the wedding finished. Her betrothed, while he was an honorable leader and soldier to his own people, wasn't exactly an easy man to be around. They'd met a few times before the engagement was announced, but each time the man's hard eyes made Aneira's spine shiver. 

He wasn't cruel or anything like that, the man was just distant though he seemed to find Aneira's beauty quite amazing. He'd never seen a woman like her, and the women on his world seemed to weep at it all. Aneira wanted the marriage to work for the sake of their realms, even if her husband-to-be didn't acknowledge more than her beauty. 

"Come, it's time." Odin let Aneira and Frigga each take an arm as they left to the corridor leading towards the throne room. 

The wedding was glorious, nobility, royalty, gentry and commoners all gathered around and inside the castle to watch the ceremony take place. Princess Aneira Odinsdottir became wife of Lord Falcor Caldorson, a mortal lord of nobility descended from the royal line chosen as her husband by his people and hers. When the two betrotheds met Aneira was kind, and Falcor was distant but civil. He had the build of a warrior, with stony grey eyes and jet black hair he wore in braids. The lord was stunned by his bride's beauty, but even more so by her magical abilities. 

 

Sometime later:

"It is true husband, I am with child." Aneira had been ill the past few weeks, but only dismissed it as stomach illness until the Allmother insisted she see the healers. The news was lovely; she was two months pregnant with the next heir to Asgard's throne. 

"Then this is glorious news, we shall pronounce it to the kingdom and send word back to my people. Your parents must be thrilled to have a grandchild on the way." Falcor was a man of duty, a bit cold but caring when alone with his wife. The Aesir found him odd being as he was mortal, but with the apples of Idunn his life was sustained, and his personality started winning them over. 

"They are, the Allmother will be pleased to have a grandchild to spoil." 

"The Allfather will expect it to be a son, as I do. A son would hold our line, defend our throne and home until he becomes king. A daughter…a daughter will strengthen our ties with other realms." Aneira frowned slightly.

"You would not be pleased with a daughter?" 

"I would…learn to love her but a son would be best for our firstborn. After we have a worthy heir any other children we have shall be loved as well. Daughters will be betrothed, and sons will make great warriors." 

"Are you saying a woman cannot train as a warrior?" 

"No my dear, only that a man is physically more fit to do so. If we were to have a daughter, and she wished to be a warrior, then we will see." she didn't like his words, but she chose to address the topic of a possible princess.

"I am firstborn here, and I am a worthy future queen. A daughter of ours will be the same." 

"True, but in my homeland a male heir is best to hold our lands." 

"This is not your homeland husband, and while you may be king one day I am the only blood heir here. The Allmother may soon have her child, my brother or sister, but our child male or female will have the throne after us." Falcor could see he was upsetting her, so he took her hand in his and kissed her fingers.

"Forgive me my dear wife; I only want to prolong our family's rule. Tis not my desire to anger you in your delicate situation." she calmly but stiffly pulled her hand away.

"I am not ill nor dying, my pregnancy shall continue and I am strong. Now…I wish to speak with my father, so you may return to your training with the new soldiers." Falcor went to kiss her again, but Aneira turned away. "Go now." Falcor bowed and left quickly, and Aneira remembered to keep her mask up. Her father taught her to hold a mask, to get back up after falling down, physically or emotionally. 

"You needn't worry daughter, he will come around to love the child as I have loved you." that wasn't Odin's most assuring promise, but it gave Aneira some comfort. 

The months passed and the news had been great for the people, and while Aneira was happy she would soon be a mother her husband continued to keep his distance. He rarely spoke to her, hardly visited her, but Frigga assured Aneira it was likely because he wanted to be sure her pregnancy was protected. She could sense the child's magic in her womb, she became all too familiar with it and knew her child was healthy inside. 

Frigga gave birth to a healthy son just a month before Aneira went into labor. Odin was overjoyed, he had a son of his own to continue on the line. They named him Thor, as he was born a great storm heavy with thunder and lightning passed over the realm of Asgard. Aneira loved the little one, her baby brother, but she couldn't help feel a twinge of envy. She disregarded it, when she held Thor for the first time and felt how strong he was. He would make a great warrior one day, and even Falcor was pleased though it only prolonged his hope for a powerful son. On the day Aneira gave birth, it was near sunset and the magic in Asgard flourished around her as her child entered the world. She had a son, a bit smaller than Thor but the magic around him was powerful.

"Let me see my son." Falcor entered the room after the healers allowed visitors in to see the princess. He was beaming with happiness, and Aneira felt the same. 

"He is here husband." she held him up for Falcor to see, and the child resembled him greatly but only with her eyes. "Do you wish to hold him?"

"Yes." Aneira placed the babe in his arms, but when Falcor held him for only a minute he frowned.

"He is small, smaller than the prince Thor." 

"He is strong and healthy your highness." Lady Eir spoke as she gathered up the basin and wet towels to hand to the maids. "His magic is powerful." 

"Magic?" Falcor looked at Aneira.

"Yes, he has magic as I do. It will make him stronger than all before him." she could see the disappointment, a male with magic wasn't well liked unless he proved more strength through battle in both Asgard and on Midgardian warrior societies. 

"Then he will still make a good warrior, or so we shall hope." Falcor kissed the boy's head and handed him back to his mother. "His name…"

"Loki." all eyes went to Aneira. "I wish to name him Loki." 

"Loki, it is not a name fit for a warrior." 

"It's a name fit for him, husband. It suits him." Aneira didn't hide the glare, she had carried the child to full term, she bonded with him in her womb, and his name would be hers to give. Falcor wasn't pleased, but he nodded.

"Very well, he shall be named Loki Falcorson. When you are well my dear wife, we will talk." she knew what for, but Aneira nodded. Falcor left and soon Odin and Frigga entered with Thor to meet the new baby. 

"He's a beautiful child Aneira." Frigga smiled.

"Thank you Allmother." 

"He has your eyes my child, and your countenance." 

"He looks like Falcor father."

"Yes, but he has your chin and your eyes." Odin stroked the babe's cheek, and the child stirred. "What is his name?" 

"Loki Falcorson, he will make a great king someday." Aneira missed the questioning look on Odin's face, as she was busy paying attention to her own child. Odin was happy to have a grandson to dote on, yet he had a strange feeling come about him. 

"You should rest dear, can Thor see him?" Aneira moved the blanket a little so Thor could see, and all adults beamed when the blonde baby gave a tiny smile. The two boys would grow up together, despite them being uncle and nephew they would hopefully get close as brothers if that. 

Aneira had never felt such joy, the joy of being a mother and holding her child in her arms for the first time made a sense of happiness overcome her. Unfortunately, the same wasn't said for her husband. 

Seven weeks after Prince Loki's birth had passed and Aneira had rarely seen Falcor around. The man hardly came to see her or their son, likely because at such a young age the infant had powerful magic. He was able to summon small objects to him, his green eyes were always curious and when his curiosity showed his magic grew. It made Aneira proud, her child would be stronger than even a warrior if his magical training helped along the way. Her husband on the other hand, was not in equal share. 

"He is to be the next King of Asgard! Not some sorcerer!"

"It is not his fault he has magic, and he will learn to control it and learn to fight but you are not going to show hate towards him because of his powers!" 

"I need a worthy heir! How can a sorcerer, a magician be a good king without strength? We are already at war with Jotunheim, what shall happen if we go to war again and all he can do is wave magic?" Jotunheim and Asgard were at war for a long while now, the Jotun king Laufey had attacked the mortal realm with the Casket of Ancient Winters and Asgard stepped in to put an end to the horrors the mortals were suffering. 

"Why do you do this? He's only a baby!"

"How can our people ever love him if he isn't a warrior? This realm looks to strength and power! They need a strong arm to rule them!"

"Strength and power come in all forms Falcor even magic! Our son is not even a year old and here you are judging him! You cannot blame him for something that's not his fault!"

"You're right it's not his fault, it's yours because you are a witch!" Aneira's mouth opened in shock, and her hand went back and slapped her husband. He fell back but didn't lose his footing. 

"It's obvious this will take longer than I thought, you will eventually have to accept our son for who he is. He is MY son, and he will always have MY love. You'd best do the same, or you'll never be welcomed back into my bed." Aneira turned away and walked angrily to her son's nursery. This was not their first fight and no doubt the entire castle had heard them; but Falcor was relentless on his ways for Loki to become a warrior and it angered Aneira to no end.

"Milady." the nurses stood as she entered and she lifted Loki from the head nurse's arms. 

"Leave me, I wish to be alone with my son." the women bowed and did as she said. Aneira kept her tears at bay, this marriage had gone almost downhill since her pregnancy was first announced. Falcor had been distant more than before, they constantly fought, and he hardly saw his son. 

"Worry not my darling Loki, no matter what your father or anyone else says you will be a great king. You will have all your heart desires, and I will never stop loving you. My sweet little star." she held him close and the little one cooed at her.

Aneira had no idea of the events to come soon after, where her entire life was turned upside down. One night while she was out strolling in the gardens, trying to think of a way to fix her marriage for the sake of her son two guards came running towards her. They were both upset over something, and Aneira's heart was pounding hard in her chest at their expressions. 

"Princess Aneira you have to get inside, there's a fire in the nursery!" Aneira's eyes widened and she ran straight for Loki's room. As she got closer she could smell the smoke, the heat from the flames, and she heard screaming but no cries from her Loki. 

'Loki!' she ran into the nursery as the smoke was cleared, but she stopped at the door as she saw the cradle that held her baby boy was burnt to a blackened smolder of wood. The whole nursery was in ash, and she saw the still smoking torch next to the cradle. The inside of the cradle held the remains of an infant, and when Aneira looked around she saw her husband being held back by three guards with Odin and Frigga standing on the further end of the nursery.

"W-What…what happened?" she slowly approached the cradle. 

"Aneira don't!" Odin tried to stop her but she wrenched away from him. 

"Falcor…what did you do?" Falcor was let go and approached her slowly, a dead look in his eyes void of emotion.

"What I had to, I told you I needed a worthy heir. Loki was not worthy, he had to die." she couldn't believe the words he spoke, it couldn't be true. 

"He…was a baby…our baby…" she felt something swirl around her, a cold wind that matched the feeling in her heart. Her heart was breaking, the reality of it all was coming at her like an arrow to its target. 

"He was not the child I wanted." Falcor glared. "You will give me another heir." the walls around Aneira's emotions crumbled as the tears fell down her cheeks like waterfalls.

"NOOOOO!" the icy winds increased around the room and a blast of ice fired from Aneira's body and into Falcor's chest. Falcor gasped and held his chest, looking to see his hand covered in blood. An ice spike had pierced his heart, and his entire body froze before falling to the floor and shattering in ice shards. Aneira looked down at the shards, and to the burnt remains of her precious Loki. Her blood ran cold like the room, and her body began to change with the magic building up inside. 

"Aneira…" she heard Odin's voice, and turned to snarl at the man she called father.

"You did this! I trusted your judgment and it's ruined everything!"

"Daughter please we can fix this…" 

"NO!" Aneira let out another fierce scream, and the entire room froze over. "My baby, my Loki…" the magic overcame her, and Aneira felt her body falling into sweet oblivion.

End flashback.

 

"My child…" the memories still haunted her, even as centuries had passed since that horrible night. Aneira had long secluded herself in exile, not a word to anyone, not even a glimpse for Heimdall to see; none could find her.

Aneira had been unconscious for days after the murder of her child, and when she came to at last her heart had turned into complete stone. Her husband killed Loki, and Loki's ashes were strewn across the rivers that flowed past the Bifrost; done while she was sleeping. She was furious that they didn't wait for her, but it didn't matter then. Falcor's remains, the water he melted into was thrown into the river as well. His people knew nothing of the truth, not that she cared anyway but Odin was her main reason for her anger.

She did everything he'd ever asked of her, at the cost of her own happiness and freedom. A princess must make sacrifices for the sake of her people, and if it had worked out she'd have accepted her role as a queen with Falcor. Aneira's loyalty to Odin had blinded her, he was nothing more than a lowly king set on using his children to gain boons for Asgard. What the mortal realm had to offer was meaningless, and the war with Jotunheim had worsened. Odin held no love for her, but if she had been born a boy she might've been able to have the freedom Thor must've had all these years.

When Aneira had left Asgard Odin was in Jotunheim battling, so it gave her the chance to leave. She took some clothing, books, and her most valued possessions along which contained a diamond necklace that belonged to her mother Gaia and the green woven blanket and golden rattle that belonged to Loki. The day had come soon after Odin had left, and Aneira remembered the words of Frigga just before she'd vanished.

 

Flashback:

"Aneira please see reason, you cannot just leave Asgard behind!" 

"I am done with this realm, there is nothing for me here now." Aneira was in her room gathering the last of her possessions when Frigga suddenly came with Thor fast asleep in her arms. 

"You are the heir to the throne, the princess of the realm you cannot abandon your people." 

"This is not my home nor do I care for my people now, it hasn't been that way for a long time. Besides you still have Thor, let him have the throne." 

"Your father will not…" Aneira slammed her fist down.

"Odin has done nothing but cause me pain! I agreed to everything he said and it only brought me misery, and the only joy in my life is gone." wrapping her things in a small cloth and straightening her dress Aneira made to leave. 

"Aneira please understand we had no way of knowing this would happen, we can find you a new husband in time, you can help your brother Thor, will you abandon him too?" Aneira turned around and glared hatefully at the sleeping child in the queen's arms. 

"That little Odin spawn has nothing to do with me, he will have his own faults and pleasures in life and I will not aid him." she ignored Frigga's calls as she walked away, and with a huge gust of cold wind Aneira was lifted into the sky and went straight for the Bifrost. Heimdall wasn't very polite in letting her leave, but one good shot of ice and he was frozen long enough for Aneira to leave. 

End flashback.

 

Aneira held the rattle in her hand, stroking against the golden material as the memory continued to plague her. Frigga had tried to be the mother she never had, but Aneira never really connected with her in that manner. She cut off all contact with Asgard after her departure, and no one would ever know where she'd been.

"Milady, I've found it!" Aneira broke from her thoughts when the voice of her maid Kira.

"Have you?" she turned and saw Kira come in holding a silver mirror, bigger than a hand mirror and large enough to see a person's entire head. She held it in her hand and gazed at her reflection; her appearance had changed when her powers came out, but she was still recognizable if anyone knew her.

Her golden hair had turned snowy white, but it shined like a pearl even in the frozen land she now resided in. Her eyes were the same green color, but the happy light that once shined in her irises was replaced with a hardened shine like polished steel. Her skin wasn't a light tan anymore, more like a milky white that gleamed in moonlight. Some would call her beautiful, but she thought nothing of it.

"Yes, this is the mirror that you've been searching for a hundred years."

"Is that so? Then we shall test it." Aneira sat back in her chair, trying to recall the last time she even thought of Asgard. Cutting off contact had her alone, and she didn't bother to try and see how the family was doing. She didn't miss it no, only her baby boy who died a horrible death.

The only company Aneira had after leaving Asgard besides Kira was the cold, harsh winds of Jotunheim. Yes she had gone to the frozen wasteland, the last place anyone would expect an Aesir princess to hide. She lived in the high mountains where no Jotuns would go, forbidden territory for whatever reasons. In the mountains she lived in a cave that she fashioned into a home, and the cold didn't bother her.

Kira was an ice maiden, likely the only one left alive in Jotunheim after the war. Ice maidens were very beautiful and magical beings, but also extremely fertile. Kira was very young when Aneira saved her from some Jotun bandits, just going into her adolescent age but not fully grown for children. None of the pigs survived, and Aneira crushed their bodies into ice shards to form a protective wall around her home. Kira was grateful that such a being would help her, one who was so powerful she could learn very much from Aneira. Kira was an intelligent child, a lovely one with dark blue hair and light blue flesh, though her eyes had the same reddish hue as all other Jotuns but not quite as monstrous looking.

"What shall you look up first milady?" Aneira couldn't help but smirk.

"I think it's high time I check up on my little brother, to see what sort of 'man' he has become over the years." she wasn't doing it for a care on Thor, no she just wanted to see what Odin had done over the years with the boy. No contact with Asgard for so long, perhaps she should see what it became.

"Oh, might I watch?" Kira was eager to see.

"Yes, you may but stay behind me."

"Yes milady." Aneira took a good breath, though unnecessary and gazed at the mirror's surface.

"Show me Thor Odinson." the mirror's reflection glowed and the image on the glass changed. The image showed them a room where they could see a tall, bulky blonde boasting about towards four other warriors, one of them a woman with jet black hair. "Since when does Asgard allow female warriors?"

"It appears there's been an altercation of sorts." the image also showed a table overturned with food and dishes all over the floor. Obviously someone had thrown a tantrum; it wasn't too hard to figure out whom.

"Quiet, let's listen." Thor looked so much like Odin, attitude and all.

"My friends we have gone through so many battles together, Hogun." he walked to a man with black hair tied up in a bun, wearing armor that had both Aesir and Vanir designs. "Who was it that led you into the most glorious of battles?" the warrior looked down, barely a smirk.

"You did."

"And Fandral, who was it who surrounded you with the most exotic maidens in the nine realms?" the blonde warrior with a goatee smiled with a perverse look in his eyes.

"Well…you helped a little." Thor laughed, it disgusted Aneira.

"And led you to the finest delicacies so succulent you thought you'd died and gone to Valhalla?" he approached a large red-headed warrior with a beard, an older man.

"Heh…you did."

"Yes! And who proved wrong all those who scoffed at the idea that a young woman could become one of the fiercest warriors in Asgard?"

"I did." the woman had such pride in her voice.

"True but I supported you." he turned to the others. "My friends you must trust me now, we will make this journey and get the answers we seek."

"Answers, what could they be?" Thor walked over to the other end of the room, and Aneira saw a crouching figure on the steps, a young man with black hair slicked back but his face was lowered.

"You're not going to let my brother and me have all the fun are you?"

"Brother?" Odin had another child? Aneira didn't believe it, the boy had different features, nothing like Thor or Odin or even Frigga. When the lad looked up Aneira gasped at the face, her eyes widened and her mouth agape. "It…it can't be…"

"Milady?" Kira saw Aneira's hands shaking.

"He…he's not…" the boy had the same face as her child, her eyes, and her chin but he also had similar looks of Falcor but he was thinner than the others. This couldn't be real, Aneira hadn't felt the magic of her son that night, or even afterwards. He couldn't be alive.

"Yes Loki, now my friends…we're going to Jotunheim!" Aneira snapped out of her daze when she heard Thor's voice.

"Milady they're…!" Kira gaped.

"Damn that fool, Kira get your armor and meet me at the bottom of the mountain. We've got a lesson of discipline to deliver."

"Yes milady!" Kira took off through the cave, and Aneira put the mirror down before summoning her own armor, made of special steel hard like diamonds. She also took the rattle and blanket, along with her mother's necklace. After placing a spell on the mirror and putting it in a small bag she used her magic to fix her white hair into a long braid.

'I don't know what's going on, but I'll be damned before I let Thor Odinson put Asgard at war again!'


	2. Hello Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little pick up after our last chapter, hopefully this will help out more since I left a cliffy before. 
> 
> We pick up where we left off and the Aesir and the Jotuns are about to officially meet Aneira. You can expect Thor to act his normal brash self, seeing as he's a spoiled brat firsthand. Odin and the rest are in for a shocker, and Aneira is about to unleash her own rule over Asgard.
> 
> Some of the characters might not be in canon full time here, but it's fiction anything goes. Also the lines from the film I'm replacing most of those, as far as the Jotunheim scene and some on Thor.
> 
> I don't own the Marvel characters.
> 
> Enjoy!

"Make haste Kira, they are nearly here." Aneira and Kira had left their cave to meet with the oncoming Aesir warriors, but then realized the group was heading straight for the ruins of Laufey's throne. The Jotun king was seated on the giant ice chair, and the look on his face was of expectance. He knew they would be coming, and that only made Aneira snarl. Despite her long years in this realm, Laufey and all who were loyal to him disgusted her. The man craved power like most kings in the past, but he refused to acknowledge without the casket Jotunheim had no hope of winning against the other realms.

"Milady, we are to wait but when shall we appear?"

"When the time is right, mind your eagerness child." Kira was ready to put the Odinson in his place, after his little display in the mirror she was more than happy to defeat the brute.

"Yes milady." they were hiding on an ice cliff where the Jotuns couldn't sense them. They were all gathering about as the Aesir group approached. The Bifrost had just gone off, and they weren't too far away.

"Prepare yourself, for all is not as it seems." Aneira knew something stirred this up, but what?

"You are not welcome here, Odinson." Thor and his little group approached, Laufey sat looking down at them with a frown.

"Your people attacked my realm, I demand you explain." Thor had his hammer at the ready, Mjolnir. So it chose Thor, but then again looks weren't much these days.

"My people are still in accord with the Allfather, the men who attacked your realm acted on their own." a good look at Thor's face showed Aneira he wasn't convinced. The fool was so much like Odin, same temper and bullheadedness. "My men are dead, and the casket is gone."

"Your people deserve this misery." Thor growled out, and Laufey gave a dry chuckle.

"Is this what's expected of the Odinson? The golden prince?" the giant king scoffed. "You're not king, you're just a boy trying to prove himself a man." Aneira couldn't help but agree.

"I grow tired of your games." Thor held Mjolnir out, ready to fight and the Jotuns started forming their ice weapons.

"Thor…" Aneira saw him, the boy from earlier. A closer look at his face, he did resemble her son but she still had her doubts. "Stop and think, look around you we're outnumbered." he had sense in him.

"Know your place brother." Thor put the lad down, when he was trying to save their lives.

"You know not what your actions will bring." Laufey looked down slightly. "I do, go now while I still allow it." the Jotuns started closing in around them, but Thor still wanted to battle it was clear in his eyes. The other boy had his hand on Thor's arm, trying to hold him back.

"We will do as you wish, come brother." the boy started walking away, and Thor started to turn around when a Jotun spoke.

"Run back home little princess." Aneira rolled her eyes.

"Damn." the dark haired lad sighed and Thor used his hammer to knock the Jotun back into an ice wall.

"Next?" the battle started, but Aneira chose to sit and watch for now. She saw the warriors bring out their weapons and they joined the fight, but she kept her eyes mainly on the dark haired prince. She had yet to hear his name, but she could see he was skilled in magic. The Jotuns were strong in size and strength, but they weren't as powerful as the Aesir since the war ended.

"Milady…" Kira looked ready to jump in and join the fight.

"Not yet child, we must wait for the right moment." the fight was a bit entertaining, but the Aesir were at a huge disadvantage against an army of Jotuns. The cocky one with a sword kept laughing as he fought, until a Jotun summoned some sharp bits of ice to stab him through the shoulder. The large redheaded one managed to knock down a few before one grabbed his arm and burned the skin.

"Don't let them touch you!" he called out to the rest. The female was doing a rather good job, but her skills lacked form and grace as some would expect from a woman fighter even in battle. She was rough and aggressive like the men, but she lacked feminism.

"AAGH!" the blonde warrior with a blade cried out as the spikes pierced his shoulder more, and a warrior with dark hair helped the others carefully pull him away. The dark haired prince was fighting another Jotun, and it grabbed the boy's arm shattering his armor. His skin started to turn blue, his magic growing to protect him from the frostbite. He had shifting abilities; much like her but it appeared his was more powerful.

"Thor!" the woman cried out.

"We must go!" The younger boy, not just using magic but also throwing knives called out to the golden prince.

"Then go!" Thor swung the hammer again, and Aneira decided enough was enough.

"FOOL!" she shouted so loud and summoned a large gust of icy wind. The frozen ground started moving upwards and formed a cage around the Aesir warriors. Thor tried to break the ice, but it was useless. "Stay hidden Kira, if the Jotuns try anything push them back."

"Yes milady."

"Stay in my sight, I have a feeling Odin shall be joining us soon." a quick nod from Kira and Aneira took the chance to jump down and in front of the ice cage. The warriors inside looked at her in shock and anger, but the dark haired prince was the first to speak.

"You're not a Frost Giant." she got a very good look at his face that time, and the memory of her baby son's face came to her mind.

"No." she glared slightly, trying to pick up his magical signature. It was weak, not at full power yet his magic demonstrated beforehand was strong…but then she felt it! A spark deep within his core, the same spark that came on the day of his birth; this boy, this man was her child! It was Loki!

"Who are you?" he asked.

"That's not important right now." cold green eyes turned to Thor. "So this is the Golden Prince of Asgard?" she looked him up and down. "Not much to look at are you?"

"You vile woman, release us!"

"You are in no position to make demands Odinson; you are the one who came into this realm when last I recall…it was forbidden." she knew that much, no Aesir had set foot in Jotunheim for centuries besides her until now.

"They broke into Asgard, we have the right to question how and why." the blonde warrior growled.

"Yet you didn't do much asking did you? You just threw a tantrum like a child and started fighting, for what exactly?" she figured she'd ask now, if any would answer at all.

"They disrupted his coronation, and tried to steal the casket from the weapons vault." Aneira frowned when the female answered.

"His…coronation?" her anger started rising, this fool was to be proclaimed king? "Odin was going to…give you the throne?" he'd tried to disrupt the right of succession?

"It is my birthright, I am the eldest." Thor snarled, and Aneira was about to summon more ice to attack.

"Who are you woman?" Laufey's voice cut through the winds as the Jotuns tried to charge, but Kira's magic from the cliff held them back. Aneira regained control of her emotions

"Aneira, Goddess of Winter." she turned back to the Jotun king. "And you have no real reason to kill these idiots…yet." she held back a chuckle.

"Who're you calling idiots wench?!"

"Silence Odinson, you've done enough damage already." Thor was about to retort but his brother held him back. Aneira heard large footsteps getting closer, and turned to see Laufey coming her way.

"You are Aesir, yet you don't look it." Aneira smirked.

"Yes well, I find this form much more attractive and comfortable. Kira!" the young ward jumped down from her hiding spot and stood next to Aneira.

"I sense the Allfather's magic milady."

"Good, it's about time the old fool makes his entrance." some of the Jotuns laughed at that. "But perhaps we should take this someplace else." using her natural magic Aneira made the cold air around the cage and herself lift them off the ground and float closer towards a cliff that held the mark of the Bifrost.

"Let us out of here!" the female warrior tried to break the ice.

"I will once your king arrives, if he arrives that is."

"How do you know he'll be…?" before the red-headed warrior could finish a light shot down from the sky and struck the ice. The power of the Bifrost was strong enough to destroy half the cage and the warriors broke free but stopped when they saw the Jotuns approaching, and the Allfather on his steed with multiple legs. Aneira quickly hid behind one of the ice spikes from the cage, Odin couldn't see her just yet.

"Father! We'll finish them together!" Thor shouted with his hammer raised.

"Silence!" Laufey moved upwards to face Odin, both staring the other down.

"Allfather…you look weary." Aneira could see it too, Odin looked ill almost.

"Laufey, put an end to this now there's no need for more bloodshed."

"Your boy sought this out, this is an act of war on his part."

"Then treat this as it is, the actions of a boy."

"Actions of a fool is more like it." Aneira walked around to let Odin see her, and with his one good eye he stared at her completely stunned.

"Aneira…"

"Hello father." she glared at him and everyone went silent, but this wasn't the time to argue. "I can easily see this isn't going to be resolved through words, so there's no doubt that Laufey wants to wage war. Am I right?" she turned to the Jotun king.

"You are, the Odinson wanted war…and he shall have it." Aneira sighed.

"So be it." Odin answered, and the Jotuns tried to attack again but the power of Gugnir shoved them back and the light of the Bifrost was on them all once again. Aneira felt the pull of power, and it was soon that they ended up at the gateway where the gatekeeper Heimdall was waiting for them.

"Why did you…?" Thor was about to speak but Aneira silenced him.

"You be quiet!" she shouted and turned to the warriors holding the other blonde. "You three get your friend some help, if he stays like that much longer he might pass out from blood loss." they stared at her. "GO!"

"Do as she says." Odin put Heimdall's sword back into the gatekeeper's hands, and the warriors took off quickly.

"Who are you? Why were you on Jotunheim?" Thor looked ready to charge at Aneira.

"Thor…stop." Odin held up a hand. "You've already caused enough trouble."

"Yes he has, but I think I know why and where he got the idea to do so." Aneira glared again. "However, I don't feel like having this conversation here so let's take it somewhere more private. Kira if you will…"

"Gladly milady." with a wave of her hands Kira had them all teleported from Bifrost gateway and suddenly they were back in the castle in the throne room. All were stunned by the powerful use of magic, but the sound of clicking heels echoed throughout the room.

"Boys! Oh thank goodness you're…" Queen Frigga stopped in her tracks when her eyes fell on Aneira.

"You." Aneira growled and looked ready to summon more magic but Odin stood in between her and Frigga.

"Aneira, please…" the old king held up his hands. "No more fighting…"

"Give me a good reason." Odin didn't get the chance to answer.

"Father who is this? Why does she call you her father?!" Thor just wouldn't shut up.

"So he doesn't know?" Aneira's anger increased. "Your son doesn't know of his elder sister, the real heir to the throne?"

"Sister?" the boy spoke and Aneira turned to him.

"You…" she let her stony expression return. "What is your name?" she stepped a little closer to him.

"Aneira…" Frigga tried to speak and move closer to the boy.

"SHUT UP!" a blast of cold wind blew through the room and made everyone but the younger prince shiver. "Answer me lad, what is your name?" he glared at her slightly.

"Loki Odinson, second prince of Asgard." Aneira's white teeth seethed in rage and a wall of ice spread all over the room.

"You…gave him your name?!" Aneira turned to Odin. "Does he know nothing?"

"Nothing of what?" Thor was now more confused and angry. Loki had the same expression, but his was more contained.

"SILENCE ODIN SPAWN!" Thor flinched back at the fury. "I grow tired of your irritating voice, so do us all a favor and be quiet for once."

"Aneira, please listen to us…we couldn't find you, we had no idea…" Odin tried but the ice queen wouldn't hear his excuses.

"No idea?" Aneira was furious now. "I saw my child's burnt remains in the cradle that night, and now I see him standing here before me. You are going to tell him the truth, but how and why is he alive?"

"Odin…he found him…"

"Found him where…?"

"Aneira." Odin spoke up at last. "Please, the boys don't know anything because I let it be that way. I thought it would be better, I thought you were…"

"Dead? Or you just wanted to believe that when I didn't return after my marriage fell apart?" Odin sighed. "A marriage may I remind you, that YOU chose for me and CLAIMED it would work out!"

"I know I made mistakes, and I've tried to make them better."

"You have kept the truth from my son, my child! A child you have raised second compared to this oaf!" she pointed at Thor.

"Thor and Loki don't know because I didn't know how to explain it to them." she stared at him.

"Explain that Thor has and elder sister who still has claim to the throne? A sister who's marriage was broken because her husband 'murdered' their son who was days younger than Thor? Only to come back and see that her son is still alive somehow, and have his birthright taken from him?"

"It's not that simple."

"Oh really? Then please enlighten me." she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Where were you? Heimdall couldn't find you anywhere…"

"I hid myself from his sight and took shelter on Jotunheim, the one place I could use to train my powers of the winter season. Laufey and I never spoke until today, and frankly we might've never if your idiot son hadn't barged onto that realm without proper cause."

"They broke into Asgard!"

"Ugh…" Aneira moved so fast at Thor her punch to his jaw was almost invisible until he flew back onto the floor. "Don't you know when to shut up?" she snarled at him. Thor gripped his face where she'd struck, and didn't bother to move from the floor.

"Aneira…we will tell them everything." Frigga spoke up in a whisper.

"Then get to it, now." Aneira looked back at Loki, her eyes getting soft at the sight of his confusion and growing turmoil.

"Loki…Thor, this woman is Aneira, my daughter from my first marriage to Gaia Goddess of Earth." Odin spoke up. "She is your elder sister Thor, and…Loki…" he stopped.

"Father…?" Loki stepped forward, his already pale face getting whiter by the second.

"Loki, there's so much I want to tell you but it's best if you and Frigga talk alone. She can explain it better than I." Odin motioned for Frigga to move towards Loki. Aneira wanted to protest but she knew this was a lot for Loki to handle, it already was for her. "I will come see you later."

"Y-Yes…" Loki stared at Aneira one more time almost frozen on the spot, but Frigga's hold on his shoulders helped him walk through the room and into the corridor. Once the two were out of sight Thor stood from his spot on the floor, staring at his father with wide eyes.

"This…is my sister?" Aneira rolled her eyes.

"Are you so dense you can't understand simple words? Yes I am Aneira Gaiasdottir. You are Frigga's son, and my half-brother much to my own dismay."

"Enough." Odin rang his voice before Thor could respond to that. "Thor, go to your room and wait for me."

"Father…"

"GO!" when he yelled Thor quickly got up and ran towards the corridors, but not without one last glance at Aneira.

"Now that the troublesome fool is gone, you had best start explaining right now." Kira snickered at Aneira's stern tone, it was as if she were talking to an adolescent. "Tell me why Thor is a useless prince."

"Aneira please…"

"Odin, excuse me, Allfather, why is it Thor is so spoiled he feels he can do as he pleases without consequences? Last I recall such behavior is not tolerated of a prince of Asgard." Odin looked down again, this time with shame.

"I…I had thought he would understand the responsibilities of being a king. That he would make a great ruler, and yet I was mistaken."

"Gravely mistaken, when it is I or in fact…MY son who deserves the throne. That's another thing, Loki's magic is weaker than I last felt it centuries ago. Why is that? Where did you find him?"

"I…" Odin looked unsure of what to say, but held his head high again. "I found him on Jotunheim, but he had the skin and eyes of a Frost Giant. I thought him abandoned because of his size, but when I picked him up he changed to look like an Aesir." he stopped. "I didn't know what to think, but when I brought him here Frigga knew it was your son, the same Loki."

"And what did you do?"

"We adopted him, brought him home but when I found you nowhere in Asgard I knew you'd left. Frigga told me you wouldn't stay, you were angry with me and you had every reason to be but…I had hoped you would return for him."

"I couldn't sense his power, not that night nor any day or night afterwards. My husband is dead because I assumed he murdered my child, yet Loki is alive and unhappy. I can see it on his face, I can sense it in his heart, and I can feel his magic has weakened overtime while Thor seems to prosper. Explain that to me." she already knew the reason, but she wanted to draw it out of the old man.

"He's…I can't explain why his magic isn't as powerful as it was before. The healers thought it likely because he was separated from you, or the weather on Jotunheim…"

"The healers knew?" Aneira's eyes glared fiercely.

"Yes, Eir could see it was him but I swore her to secrecy. The people already mourned his loss and your departure, I didn't want any more controversy after the war had ended."

"You already have, that's something you and Thor have in common you never think of the consequences of anything that may follow your choices. I had no knowledge that my son was alive, and if I had I would've come back and raised him to be loved."

"We did love him."

"Not enough obviously, seeing as Thor is a brute unfit for the throne."

"I would say more along the lines of a monster milady." Odin finally caught sight of Kira.

"Who are you?" Kira didn't waver or flinch at his hard stare.

"She's my ward, Kira. A fully trained ice maiden skilled in magic and battle like myself, and she's good company to keep." Kira giggled.

"Thank you milady."

"Back to Thor though, I recall how strict you were with me on all my lessons as a princess. To become a good queen, you always told me a princess must make sacrifices for her people and I did everything you asked of me. I even accepted an unhappy marriage, and look where it's gotten me."

"Aneira…"

"Yet it seems Thor believes he can do as he pleases, such as marching into a realm against YOUR orders to throw a tantrum over a disrupted coronation. A coronation he should've never had to begin with!"

"Loki is not strong enough to be a king…"

"BECAUSE YOU MADE HIM THAT WAY!" Aneira's winds covered the whole room in ice again, only this time giant ice stalagmites and stalactites sharp like swords. "I can see he was unloved by you."

"No that's not…"

"It's true." Kira jumped in. "I too can sense the emotions inside him Allfather. Plus the way Thor acted, it all points to your horrible parenting." Aneira didn't bother to scold Kira, her anger was rising higher and so were the ice spikes.

"You…have neglected him his entire life and you still call him your son? It shouldn't matter if he's not strong like Thor, Loki should have his right to the throne before Thor!"

"Daughter please understand, I only wanted to protect Loki…"

"From what? From the truth?"

"Yes the truth, I didn't want to tell him his mortal father tried to kill him and his mother had left believing him dead. He would've believed you abandoned him."

"You could've tried and spoke out more, you didn't. You have let this realm fall over the years, and you would let it fall into the hands of a battle-hungry, blood-craving beast of a prince! My brother Thor, is not fit for the throne and you cannot deny that after today he is far from ready." Odin looked down again.

"You are right, he isn't. I had thought my teachings all these years would open his eyes, but I was wrong and a fool."

"Then I will take over." that made him look up. "I never gave up my rights to the throne, to do so would have me take a vow in front of the entire council and court. This means I still have rights as firstborn to hold up the realm, and you are due to fall into the Odinsleep aren't you?"

"Odinsleep milady?" Kira didn't know about that.

"It's when the power of the Odinforce becomes too much for the king to bear, and he falls into a deep sleep to rejuvenate his powers but sometimes the body is so exhausted even the magic cannot help. After that…death comes." Aneira waved her hands and the ice spikes vanished from the room.

"You cannot just have the throne daughter…"

"You cannot deny it from me, I can lead this realm fine just as YOU taught me years ago. You will not put Thor on the throne after this, to do so would send Asgard into war and flames. Loki isn't ready either, he wouldn't be able to handle the throne after this." she would have to speak to him later though, if he would see her.

"There's also the matter of Prince Thor's punishment milady." Kira had to say it, but she was right.

"Yes there is." Aneira placed a finger to her chin. "Hmm, but that can wait for now. You and I father, have much to discuss."

"I must meet with the council, they will not like this." Aneira smirked.

"They have no choice, I am more than capable of ruling alone for however long and I already have my heir. All I have to do is show my power and take a vow to protect the realm, and they will have to follow me."

"Yes, but a queen has not ruled Asgard in centuries, not without a husband at least."

"I have no need for a husband now, and if the council should try and push for it I will silence all who dare bring it up. You are going to make the arrangements now, and you will tell the people the truth or I will." she meant it too, the people had been in the dark long enough but Aneira knew there was more to all of this than anyone knew. For what reasons, she didn't know but she would find out.

Odin was at a loss, here his eldest child, his own daughter, stood before him demanding her right to rule Asgard. She wanted the throne, to put Asgard back into a reign of what he wasn't sure of, but he couldn't deny her words. She had all rights still, and if he had put Thor on the throne now it would send everything into chaos. He had no idea what Aneira was capable of now, she was powerful and spiteful he could see, but the throne had to be in the care of someone who was worthy. Perhaps she was, and he didn't have much time before the Odinsleep would be too much to hold back.

It was then Odin made his choice, he had no other options. Once he was in the Odinsleep Frigga would not leave his side as devoted as she was, and Loki would not be able to handle the throne on his own once he learned the truth. No one else would be good enough; Aneira was the only reliable choice.

"Alright, I shall summon the council after I speak with Thor. We are at war, but…perhaps you can remedy the situation."

"I shall, now go see your idiot son. I am going to see mine, come Kira." with that said, Aneira turned on her heel and made for the corridor with Kira in tow. Loki would no doubt be confused and angry with the events, but she would do everything in her power to give her son the love and guidance he needed.

'This won't be easy for us Loki, mainly for you, but I will not let you hide in the shadows any longer.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that's the next part, and it's about to go down hard on the entire royal family. I had originally wanted Aneira to force Odin into the Odinsleep and take the throne, but that would cause controversy so I decided to have her invoke her right as firstborn. Makes more sense if Odin gives her the throne in front of the whole court and they have to accept it. 
> 
> Next chapter Thor and Loki learn the truth from Odin and Frigga, but it'll be separate tales on their parts. There's also going to be a chat with Aneira and Loki towards the end, and the end will likely have a cliffy so be prepared.
> 
> Can you imagine how the talks will go? 
> 
> Comments would be much appreciated, tell me how i'm doing!
> 
> Later!


	3. Mother and Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I made you wait too long, I had intended to have this out sooner but reality won't slow down for anyone these days. 
> 
> We have our chapter between Thor and Loki being told the truth about Aneira, but we start off with Thor first. Loki is about to learn the truth, but I decided it would be a little soon if he were to understand without self-destructing so their talk is going to be on hold for now. I have a little surprise in store for the coronation, but that's for the next chapter. 
> 
> I don't own the Marvel characters.
> 
> Enjoy!

Thor's room:

Thor Odinson was pacing back in forth trying to calm down before his father came into his room. He was angry he couldn't think straight, and it was taking all he had not to form a storm over Asgard and scare the people.

He didn't understand it, he just didn't. He had every right to go down to Jotunheim and demand answers of how the Jotnar broke into Asgard, but then that woman had to show up and ruin it all. A woman who called herself his sister, his elder sister; he didn't believe it, he just couldn't believe it. If he had a sister all this time why didn't he know about her? 

Where had she been? Why did she choose now to return? The questions kept racing in his mind so fast it was starting to give him a headache.

"Thor." Thor stopped in his tracks. He hadn't heard the door to his room open nor did he hear his father's heavy footsteps come inside until he spotted the old king shutting the door behind him. "We have much to discuss."

"Father who is that woman?" he seethed through his teeth.

"It's just as I said Thor, she's your elder sister and my daughter from my first marriage to Queen Gaia, who died in childbirth." Thor's eyes widened, it was true?

"It cannot be true! I have no sister!"

"Yes you do, and she is well within her rights to the throne." Thor paled slightly, that woman would take the throne from him? His right? His dream?

"NEVER! The throne is mine to have, and mine alone!" Odin slammed his staff down so hard the floor shook slightly.

"Thor enough! You're already in enough trouble as it is, you've restarted a war!"

"I was protecting my home!"

"You cannot even protect your friends, so how can you hope to protect the kingdom?!" Odin's anger was rising high. Had he really been so blind to Thor's behavior?

"The other realms have to fear Asgard in order to know we are in charge! The Jotuns especially being the monsters they are, they must learn their place!"

"You cannot think that." Odin sighed. "If you want all the realms to fear Asgard then there will be countless fights for power, countless amounts of bloodshed, is that what you want?"

"Our people are strong!"

"We are not invincible Thor, we live and die as mortals do even with our long lifespans. It doesn't matter now, because of your actions I'm forced to speak with the council about Aneira's claim to the throne."

"NO! She cannot have it she was the one who left!"

"SHE LEFT BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED HER CHILD TO BE DEAD!" Odin didn't mean to shout, but Thor's temper definitely didn't come from Frigga.

"W…What?" Thor blanched for a minute, and Odin sighed.

"Your sister was married to a man I chose for her, an arranged marriage. She accepted it, and tried to make it work but her husband was a distant being. His race didn't have much thought on magic, and when Aneira's son was born he seemed to come around. However, when he saw the child was powerful with magic he began to drift away. They fought all the time, but your sister loved that baby as did I." Thor was shocked, Aneira was married before? She had a child? Why hadn't he known about this?

"What…happened to the child?" Odin sighed.

"There was a fight one night, and it was gruesome. Aneira's husband couldn't take the idea of his heir being a mage instead of a warrior, and despite your sister's claims that he could still be a great king one day…her husband murdered the child. Took a torch to his room and killed him, and when your sister saw what he'd done…she lashed out and her ice powers killed him."

"Burned…he burned his own son?" Odin nodded. Thor suddenly felt sick, how could any parent do that to their own child? Children were gifts in Asgard, any family was lucky to have a child or more; Norns Volstagg had an entire brood of children with his wife and he loved them all.

"Aneira couldn't handle the grief, and for days she didn't speak. I had gone to war with Jotunheim with the army, and in that time she left Asgard. Heimdall couldn't find her, and your mother had tried to plead with her to stay but she wouldn't listen."

"No one has ever fooled Heimdall's sight before."

"No, but Aneira is the first to do so. Your sister never gave up her rights to the throne, therefore she has claim regardless if you are deemed worthy and as her privilege of being firstborn."

"A queen cannot rule Asgard alone." Thor's anger was returning.

"If it were a question of marriage and having an heir, then that has already been fulfilled."

"I don't understand, you said her child was dead."

"We thought he was, that night gave us no questions until…" Odin sighed, he didn't want to tell Thor the truth but he had to now. He would be falling into the Odinsleep very soon, so it was best that Thor and Loki both know. "Someone switched the babies." Thor's anger turned into confusion. "I had thought my grandson dead until the final night of the war with Jotunheim. In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the temple when I heard a cry. It was a Jotun infant, a bit bigger than a newborn, left to die on a frozen rock because of his size. I picked him up, and he changed when he saw me…and when I realized it…he was Aneira's son."

"What?" if Thor's feet could make the ground crumble under him it would.

"I don't know how it happened, but someone had us believe Aneira's child was killed that night in the nursery. Yet there he was, in my arms completely unharmed even by the harsh colds of Jotunheim. I couldn't believe it, but when I returned to Asgard Frigga confirmed it was him. I couldn't wait to tell Aneira…"

"But she had left." then Thor had a realization hit him, suddenly having an image of Loki's face in his mind and paled. "The child…"

"Is Loki." Odin spoke it clearly, and Thor's body stiffened.

"But…but why did…does he know?"

"No Thor he doesn't, I thought it best to keep the truth from him. We couldn't find Aneira, and I have no doubts now that she really believed him dead until you and your friends made that trip to Jotunheim. The last place I would ever expect her to hide…and she's grown into a very powerful sorceress."

"Father…why didn't you ever tell him the truth?" Odin stared at Thor.

"Do you really think Loki would have taken the fact that his own father tried to kill him and his mother left never to be seen again well?" Thor looked down; he knew Loki would have been distraught, he was always the more emotional of the two. "It doesn't matter now, your mother is telling Loki everything now as we speak. Aneira is going to have the throne, and your punishment along with that of your friends shall be up to her." Thor's head snapped up.

"What…no father she'll…!"

"She will not kill you Thor that I am certain of. As much as she hates me she will have to be fair to the people, and since Loki is her heir there won't be any question from the council. Your sister is going to take over while I sleep, I can only hope that all the anger she has at me won't be turned on you as well." Thor sat down on his bed, taking all this in, so much was running through the prince's mind but he looked back up at Odin after a minute.

"May I see Loki?" Odin shook his head.

"You cannot, you are confined to your rooms until Aneira is crowned queen. After that your punishment will come, and you will take it with honor until you learn the error of your ways." with that said Odin turned around and left Thor alone in his room and Thor heard the lock click on the outside.

He couldn't understand it, the woman, Aneira was his sister and Loki is her son, his nephew. Not only that, Aneira was to be crowned queen and she would choose Thor's fate. What could she do? Fight him? Banish him? Kill him? He didn't know, he didn't know her at all. What could he do now? If he were to be banished his friends would suffer too…but what about Loki? What would he do?

Wait.

That's all he could do, all the Odinson could do, was wait for his fate to come. Whatever it was, he was certain now there wasn't much he could come up with to avoid it.

 

Loki's rooms:

Loki didn't know what was going on, only that things hadn't gone the way he'd wanted to when Thor's coronation was halted. He was confused, so confused his head began to spin and his magic started heating up in his core. The Frost Giants had stopped the coronation, but then Thor had to be stupid and go straight into a fight that started the next war with Jotunheim. Of course they all got out, but not without some assistance from that strange woman with ice magic.

The woman…something was familiar about her to Loki, but he couldn't explain why. Her face, her eyes, her magic…it all felt familiar to him. Who was she? Odin said she was Thor's sister, his sister, but…Loki could tell the old king was holding something back. He could only hope his mother could explain it to him and soon.

"Loki." Loki was so wrapped up in his own thoughts he didn't hear the Allmother enter the room, very rare for him to be so distracted. "Are you alright?" she touched his cheek with her soft hand, something she normally did when he was upset.

"No mother, I'm not. What is all this about? Who was that woman really?" Frigga sighed, and motioned for Loki to take a seat on his bed. Yes this was a serious matter, all too serious indeed.

"Loki, what the Allfather said about her…that she's Thor's sister was true. Her name is Aneira, and she is the heir from Odin's previous marriage. Her powers are of winter; she can manipulate and control snow and ice to her advantage."

"I figured all of that when I first saw her fight mother, what aren't you telling me?" he saw her face fall slightly.

"Loki…this isn't easy for me to tell you but…please understand I never wanted to keep this from you." Loki felt his throat tighten, what was this now?

"What?" he stared her down, and saw faint tears come into her eyes.

"You…Loki you're not my son by blood, nor Odin's." she paused but Loki's look didn't fade. "Aneira is your mother, your birth mother." Loki slowly leaned away from her. "Loki please, let me finish and don't interrupt." Loki slowly nodded.

"Tell me." he whispered.

"Aneira is your mother, but she didn't abandon you or anything like it. She thought…you were killed one night in your room as an infant. Your father had taken a torch to your nursery and lit it ablaze. The remains in the cradle we thought were you, and Aneira killed your father for it."

"I…I don't understand…" he felt his core tightening more.

"Your mother's marriage was arranged, and she was willing to make it work. For a while your father was distant, but when she became pregnant it seemed to brighten his mood. However, when you were born you had powerful magic, and your father…he didn't like that. He wanted you to be a warrior, a proper king, but Aneira didn't care. She loved you very much, and did everything she could to make your father see reason."

Loki's heart was racing now, his voice was frozen, his mind was going blank. He hadn't felt like this in a long time, but the feeling was still there.

"Loki please understand, Aneira thought you were dead and because of that she left Asgard. She had no way of knowing you were alive, and I dare say if she had she would've returned."

"How am I alive then? You said my own father tried to kill me!"

"We thought he did, but someone made a fool of us and switched you with another baby." Loki froze. "Odin found you on Jotunheim, and he thought you were a Jotun at first but when he picked you up your form changed. He recognized you instantly, and when he brought you home I confirmed it. We tried to find Aneira, but she hid herself from Heimdall all these years." Loki slowly stood up, he didn't understand this at all. He wasn't an Odinson? He was the son of a lost princess? His birth father tried to kill him? It didn't any sense at all!

"How…is this real?" he all but shouted so loud his magic started shaking around the room. "WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?!" he stood up and raked his hands through his hair.

"Loki stop…" Frigga tried but he yanked away from her.

"MY WHOLE LIFE IS A LIE?! EVERYTHING I'VE KNOWN IS A LIE!"

"No Loki that's not it." Frigga tried to touch him again but Loki wouldn't let her. He let out a scream of fury and felt his magic flaring up rapidly; the objects in the room started flying around and breaking but Frigga kept her focus on him. Loki suddenly felt a wave of stabbing pain in his chest, growing as if fire was spreading deep inside his body. He clutched at his coat, and started doubling over when he heard the door burst open.

"Loki!" Loki looked up fast enough to see the woman, Aneira, run into his room and catch him before he hit the floor. His vision started to blur, but the last thing he could make out before falling unconscious was 'It's alright; you're going to be alright'.

 

Healing chambers:

"How is he Lady Eir?" after Loki's collapse in his rooms Aneira and Frigga had rushed him straight to the healing chambers in the castle. Aneira had come in there to see Loki again, but she heard him yelling and suddenly felt a flare in his magic, a dangerous flare that spiked his heartrate sky high.

"In all honesty, I'm surprised he was able to hide this for so long." Eir sighed, she didn't to ask who Aneira was, she'd known the princess since before she'd left Asgard.

"What is it?" Aneira had felt the magic flare and drop from deep down in the corridor, and thanks to her own healing abilities she'd managed to calm Loki down enough and put him to sleep. The guards carried Loki to the chambers, and Eir went straight to him.

"His magical core is corrupted, to the point of where his body is completely spent from stress. Something has been blocking his power for years, judging by the amount that's flowing through him now, I'd say since early infancy." Aneira's eyes narrowed.

"His magic was weakened, and all this time his true potential has been hidden away." one quick look at Loki in the bed and Aneira realized it explained why Loki seemed so thin and almost sick, also why she couldn't sense him any day after his 'death'. His magic was barely holding him up, but why had it gone unnoticed for so long?

"He's always been so skilled though, all his lessons in sorcery he was the top student." Frigga sounded uncertain.

"That was only a fraction of his power my queen, yet it seems he has more hidden away than we thought. His magic is his body's livelihood, and without it working at full strength most of the time it will backlash and cause distress to everything physically and mentally."

"Will he recover?" Frigga had hope in her eyes.

"He will, but he will be in a coma for a long while my queen. We will keep him safe and take care of him until he wakes; it's thanks to Princess Aneira's magic that he is stable." Aneira was relieved by that, but now she was angered in realizing somehow her child's magic was corrupted and not by any illness.

"Thank you Lady Eir." Aneira looked over to Frigga. "You and I need to talk, alone." Frigga looked over at Loki's bed, but she nodded and followed Aneira into a private room across from the healing chambers.

"Aneira, I know you're angry and I know you likely hate me but…" Aneira held up her hand.

"Spare me your lies Frigga, don't try and play the dutiful wife or loving mother we both know you're not. Not to me at least." the queen sighed.

"Aneira I know you and I were never close, I could never replace your mother nor can I take back all the years stolen from you and Loki. But I want to help you, I know you still have rights to the throne and I know you want justice for what happened. I can assist you in your rule until Odin awakens."

"You want to help me? Somehow I doubt you can." Aneira glared. "Why is it my son was never told the truth? And why did Odin cast him aside from his rightful place on the throne before Thor?"

"Believe me Aneira I never wanted to keep it from him, I tried for years to convince Odin to tell Loki everything but he…" she paused. "In all honesty I think your father just wanted to spare Loki the pain of knowing Falcor was a monster."

"Oh really? Or could it be because Odin thought Loki weak and decided to keep him in the dark and put that brainless oaf on the throne instead?" Frigga sighed again.

"I don't want to fight Aneira, believe me I have tried my best to be a good mother to them both."

"Only you haven't." Aneira glared. "But I suppose I have no choice but to thank you for at least caring for Loki, to an extent."

"Aneira it was difficult raising him, and Thor. Every time Loki would smile or laugh it reminded me and Odin of you, and while he hasn't done that for some time now…every day I am reminded that he is your son."

"Yet you call him yours." Aneira hadn't always liked Frigga, hardly at all but she had been civil and respected her as the Allmother. She proved to be a good wife and queen, but to raise an idiot like Thor only questioned her parenting.

"I love him as my own, I taught him magic and encouraged his studies. I was there when he needed me." the room went cold.

"If you're such a good teacher to him then why didn't you see that his magic was weakened?"

"His powers were standard at first to an Aesir, but they grew overtime I couldn't have known."

"He…was…powerful on the day he was born!" Aneira's teeth snarled and hissed.

"Yes, but in light of the circumstances I had believed it was due to the separation you both suffered. Your powers have grown though, his are…"

"Do not start!" Aneira was nose to nose with Frigga now. "My powers have grown yes, and I can freeze this entire realm and its people if I desire. I will teach Loki just like I taught Kira, I will MAKE time for my child when he is well and I guarantee neither YOU nor Odin will get in my way." Frigga looked ready to argue on but the door opened rather suddenly and grabbed her attention.

"Milady." Kira came into the room panting slightly. "The Allfather is coming, and he is not pleased." the ice princess rolled her eyes.

"Great." Aneira turned to the door just in time to see the old king enter the room.

"What's happened?" Odin looked across the hall at the healer's door. "What's wrong with Loki?" he looked between his wife and daughter, and Frigga quickly explained to him the healer's diagnosis. Odin paled slightly, clearly he hadn't thought of possibilities to where Loki's powers were cut down due to something eating away at his core.

"You're really the worse possible parent I've ever met Odin." Aneira turned away and walked to the other side of the room. "I could tell from the second I saw Loki again something was wrong, and yet you have ignored it all this time."

"Daughter please don't start, this is difficult enough for us all."

"Us? And you believe it's not difficult enough for Loki?" Kira touched Aneira's arm, it was getting much colder and the room was starting to freeze in ice.

"Loki will recover, that I am certain of. However, there is the matter of your coronation." Frigga looked over to Odin with shock. "She still has valid claim Frigga, and she is firstborn with a legitimate heir, it is her right."

"Is this wise husband?"

"Do you doubt I can't rule an entire realm Frigga, on my own?" Frigga looked over to Aneira giving her a slight glare.

"Not at all dear, only that the people have no idea where you've been. There will be talk and suspicions, it will put you and Loki in possible danger." Aneira laughed.

"This realm doesn't scare me, while it may be the center point and protector of the other realms it is weak compared to one as powerful as I. Asgard's sun is strong, but my clouds of snow can cloak over any hot surface and freeze it easily." Odin stared at her.

"You would rule the people through fear?"

"No, I just won't mind setting a few examples stating that while I am a sorceress I am also skilled in swordplay and battle. My years on Jotunheim weren't peaceful, how do you think I found Kira?" Kira giggled when mentioned. "I will of course be brought up to date on the political side of Asgard, which will include the treaties, trade agreements, treasuries, traditions, everything that has changed since my last time here."

"Yes, the council will help with that." Odin sighed. "I have just spoken with them, naturally they are shocked you've returned and some are not pleased with the events. However, they cannot argue against the right of succession and therefore they have agreed with the Odinsleep coming soon you are the one who shall rule in my place."

"Good, and I will hear no topics of marriage. I have my heir, and I will see to it he gets everything that's been denied him over the years."

"The people will be conflicted, but they will come around. The coronation will be set for tomorrow evening, by then word shall spread about your return."

"And what of Thor? What of our son Odin?" Frigga sounded a little frantic, but Odin calmed her with a hand on her shoulder.

"He has been confined to his rooms, and the Lady Sif and the Warriors Three have been confined to another wing until the coronation is finished. After that, Aneira will decide their punishments." Frigga's eyes widened.

"I will be fair, I've already decided what to do."

"You have?"

"My lady is very fair in the matters of punishing rule breakers, and the golden prince has fallen far below the lines of how a proper prince is supposed to act." Kira wasn't afraid to speak her mind, but she knew her limits and Aneira had taught her to hold her tongue if necessary.

"Then…we will wait until the ceremony tomorrow. Your old rooms are still intact daughter, none have entered them for years other than the maids."

"Fine, now if you'll excuse me I am going to see MY son." she and Kira left the room without another word to the royal couple. The healers watched them enter and bowed before giving the two some privacy with the unconscious prince.

"Milady, he seems so frail." Kira pitied the poor prince, his pale face was even paler and it looked as if he'd lost a little weight that made his cheekbones look sharper.

"He will recover Kira, I will make sure of it." Aneira's hand went over Loki's forehead, he was slightly warm but not feverish. Taking in a breath she focused part of her magic and sent it into his mind; it wouldn't disturb the healing process, more or less it would help Loki understand more about the past that led up to this.

"Milady what did you do?" Kira saw the magic relaxing Loki more, he even stirred a bit.

"I've given him some of my memories, so while he sleeps he will see what's happened. Hopefully this will help him realize I've loved him always, and if he wishes, we can start over." one quick kiss to her child's nose, and Aneira took a seat next to his bed.

"Milady, tell me are you going to be truly fair to the Prince Thor and his group of jesters?"

"I need to be, I may be angry at the idiots for starting this war again…but the punishments must fit the crime. There's also the matter of my coronation, I need to be sure that everything that's changed over the past millennia is up to date with myself."

"I will assist you my queen." Aneira smiled at Kira, the girl may be her ward but she was also like a daughter to her.

"Child you must rest, don't worry too much for me right now. We have much to do soon, and the coronation is only the beginning."

"Yes milady." Kira took a seat on the other side of Loki's bed, and Aneira leaned back and started to ponder exactly what to expect the moment she'd be pronounced Queen of Asgard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this one took a bit longer than I wanted it to, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. 
> 
> Next chapter comes the big coronation and Aneira's punishments for Thor and his friends. I admit I wanted to have a conversation with Loki in this chapter, but I decided maybe he needs to be out for the time being until his magic recovers. I'll be working on this while I try and update more fics so please be patient with me.
> 
> Comments are much appreciated so leave a few please!
> 
> Later!

**Author's Note:**

> Well it's a start, but the next chapter will be up soon. Yes I've decided to keep the 'Driven Snow' fic up, just a bad case of writer's block got me. You probably see some similarities here from 'The Huntsman, Winter's War', but I haven't seen the movie just a few clips of the trailer. Hopefully I didn't take away too much.
> 
> I'll try and make other chapters as long as this, maybe two pages lesser at least. This is eleven pages long, and it took me almost two weeks to get it all right. In case the confusion got you through the first flashbacks it was a whole range of what happened to make Aneira leave Asgard, skipping over timelines to the main reason of her departure. 
> 
> Next chapter brother and sister finally meet, and we'll see if Loki is Aneira's son after all. If he is, then why is he alive? Why was he raised as Thor's brother and why hasn't Aneira sensed him all these years? Better yet…if Loki is her son, then does he even know the truth?
> 
> I think you might know the answers to some of those questions lol.
> 
> Comments would be much appreciated, tell me how i'm doing so far please!


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